Smartphone accessories specialized company SANDMARC has just introduced a new variable ND filter for iPhone and smartphone shooters: the SANDMARC Motion Variable Filter. This filter is compatible with SANDMARC lenses, but you can also simply clip it directly onto your phone, without the need for a dedicated case. With a range from ND8 to ND64, let’s take a closer look at how this SANDMARC Motion Variable Filter can help you capture better footage with your smartphone.

8Sinn, an accessories manufacturer based out of Poland, creates a wide variety of products aimed at supporting a majority of the small sized camera market. The SIGMA fp camera, launched in 2019, is billed as the world’s smallest full frame mirrorless camera weighing in at under a pound and I’ve been finding ways to beef up the camera to a true Cine-style rig. Will the 8Sinn SIGMA fp cage both hold up to the constant stress of production? Let’s find out!

Following last year’s release of the AF 85mm f/1.4 FE for the Sony E Mount, Samyang/Rokinon today unveiled a version of the lens for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless RF Mount. According to Rokinon, the new AF 85mm f/1.4 RF is “arguably the best value, high performance and affordable autofocusing portrait prime available.”

Optically, the Samyang/Rokinon AF 85mm f/1.4 RF looks to be identical to the Sony FE version. There are 11 elements in 8 groups, including 1 Extra Low Dispersion (ED) element and 4 High Refractive Index (HRI) elements to cut down on chromatic aberration and allow for a smaller lens design, respectively, as well as the company’s Ultra Multi Coating (UMC) to eliminate ghosting and flare.

The lens boasts a 9-blade circular aperture, and the only ‘decoration’ on the lens barrel is the AF/MF mode switch. For autofocus, the lens uses a Dual Linear Sonic Motor (DLSM), which you can see demonstrated in the video below created for the Sony FE lens launch:

After first showing off the lens over a year ago, and sharing a few more teasers during a livestreamtwo weeks ago, Ricoh has officially unveiled the HD Pentax-D FA* 85mm f/1.4ED SDM AW—a “next-generation, high-performance” portrait prime for K-mount DSLRs.

The lens is only the second prime to be added to the “Star series” of high-performance lenses for digital cameras, and like its 50mm f/1.4 predecessor, it promises to deliver “extra-clear, high-contrast images with edge-to-edge sharpness.”

Sony has just announced the launch of the ZV-1, a compact camera that’s ready for vlogging out of the box.

The ZV-1, available for pre-order for $748 and due to ship on June 11, is a lightweight, compact camera featuring a one-inch sensor and a fixed 24-70mm equivalent lens, complete with optical and digital stabilization, and capable of shooting 4K at up to 30 fps.

The major specifications:

20.1MP 1″ Exmor RS BSI CMOS Sensor

ZEISS 24-70mm-equivalent f/1.8-2.8 Lens

UHD 4K30p Video with HLG and S-Log3 Gammas

3.0″ Side Flip-Out Touchscreen LCD

Notably, the LCD touchscreen articulates fully to the side. Other features include a built-in ND filter, eye-detect and face-detect autofocus, and a 3.5mm microphone jack.

The camera seems to blend the compact size of the RX100 III — as well as the same lens — but stealing many of the powerful video features of the a6100 and a6600.

We had a conversation with Lawrence Leigh from Hollyland during our cinema5D Virtual Show to talk about their all-in-one wireless monitor: the Hollyland Cosmo M7. This 7-inch touchscreen features a built-in wireless receiver and is a straightforward director/client monitor or for a focus puller. Let’s take a closer look!

Image credit: Hollyland

Hollyland Cosmo M7 Features

Lately, we’ve seen more and more wireless all-in-one monitors in the market, like the SmallHD Bolt series or the Vaxis Storm Focus, for example. Hollyland is joining the competition with its new Hollyland Cosmo M7. These wireless monitoring solutions are exquisite because the wireless receiver is built-in the monitor, which means you just have to power it, and the monitor connects automatically to the wireless transmitter on the camera. Right now however, it is only officially compatible with Hollyland transmitters.

The Cosmo M7 features a 7-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200. The screen has a maximum brightness of 1500 Nits and a viewing angle of 178°, which should be enough for outdoor use. As I previously mentioned, everything is built-in the Cosmo M7, so it is very compact at 19.2cm x 12cm x 2.5cm (without external antenna and batteries) and lightweight at only 1.65lbs/750g.

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I should clarify that the title of this article is a suggestion and not a claim.

Recently, there has been some speculation about the price of the upcoming Canon EOS R5. Although no official numbers have been announced yet, there was a rumor that originated from an Australian retailer, suggesting the price will be $6,700. For many people, including myself, I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable price point, considering what this camera could offer. At that price point, the EOS R5 would be the cheapest full-frame 8K video camera on the market that also shoots raw. The few alternatives cost significantly more (when you consider the full setup required), and the R5 is likely to offer some brilliant options for photographers too.

I’m sure some of you will disagree with how fair that price is, however, it’s difficult to argue, considering what the camera is set to offer. Despite this, I still think the price of this camera, when released, should not be any higher than $4,000 mark.

In a release cycle reminiscent of certain other manufacturers, Fujifilm decided to replace their flagship X-T series camera in 18 months rather than the usual 2 years. With a smattering of feature updates, a new battery, and a couple of cosmetic changes, is it really worth the upgrade from the X-T3? Let’s find out.

This review will be taken from the perspective of someone who has owned an X-T1, two X-T2s, an X-H1, and an X-T3. You could say I’m an addict. The other thing to note is that I’m a full time stills photographer. About once or twice a year, I’ll be asked to shoot a video, but my main use for these cameras is stills, so we won’t be taking a deep dive into the changes for video work. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the heavy hitting features of the X-T4.

RED Komodo is getting close to its release. While we still don’t have final confirmed specs of the camera, we now know the price will be around $7.000 for Stormtrooper (white) edition and around $6.000 for the regular black version which comes after that. Before Stormtroopers, RED will ship limited custom-colored Komodos for $7.000 or slightly above that. According to Jarred Land, this will happen already on June 1st, 2020.

RED Komodo Stormtrooper version will cost around $7.000 Source: RED

When hunting for new information about RED Komodo, in addition to REDuser.net, Jarred’s social media accounts seem to be the right place. Recently, Jarred Land, president of RED Digital Cinema, posted some useful information regarding RED Komodo on his Instagram account.

RED Komodo – Sale Starts with Limited Pre-Release Colored Version

In his post on Instagram, Jarred wrote that the production of RED Komodo is back on track after the interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the new safety protocols, it is, however, going much slower. Jarred further wrote that in two weeks, RED will start selling the first batch of cameras in “super limited low quantities”. The post was written on May 17, so I suppose this will start on June 1, 2020 (as May 31 is a Sunday).

Gear, MirrorlessComments Off on In Praise of the Mamiya 645, the Perfect Compact Medium Format SLR Camera

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When it comes to shooting on medium format, you’d be forgiven for thinking that starting out involves a heavy investment. The Mamiya 645 Pro, by contrast, is refreshingly affordable and the modular design means you can tweak your setup to your heart’s content.

Shane Taylor of Framelines has put together this short video explaining why he chose the Mamiya 645 Pro for his latest street photography project,t which resulted in a printed zine. As Fstoppers’ own James Madison will testify, the Mamiya 645 Pro offers medium format quality in a very compact body and, as Taylor mentions, it even shoots 35mm film. And if that’s not enough to get you tempted, be sure to check out the thoughts of photographer Nick Carver, who was looking for something smaller than his Mamiya RB67 but that wasn’t a rangefinder.

DJI just announced the Mavic Air 2, its new generation of the popular consumer drone, which boasts 4K 60p video at 120Mbps and 1080p at up to 240fps slow motion, 48 Megapixel photos, 8K Hyperlapse function, a fly time of up to 34 minutes and enhanced autonomy features, and more. Let’s check it out!

Mavic Air … Two Years Ago

The original Mavic Air was launched over two years ago, and at the time, I flew it in Monaco at DJI’s launch event, and it offered video images with less compression than the more expensive Mavic Pro (Mark 1), in a much cheaper package.

There are numerous choices to be made when it comes to proper lighting. Budget, space, available manpower, the list goes on. If you’re a solo shooter you’re likely giving the nod to flexible, lightweight, budget-friendly solutions. In that case, the new CAME-TV Boltzen Q-55S might be worth a close look. It is a focusable, bi-color 55W LED unit with numerous power options in one compact unit.

Sony today unveiled the world’s very first image sensors that have artificial intelligence capabilities built-in. The sensors are capable of processing captured images and extracting intelligent metadata at high speeds.

The upcoming IMX500 and IMX501 intelligent vision sensors can be paired with cloud services, and having built-in AI “reduces data transmission latency, minimizes any privacy concerns, and reduces power consumption and communication costs,” Sony says.

The IMX500 and IMX501 are backside-illuminated 1/2.3-inch sensors that have resolutions of approximately 12.3 megapixels and 4K/60fps video capabilities, and they’re expected to be priced at ¥10,000 and ¥20,000 ($93 and $187), respectively.

The QooCam 8K is the world’s first consumer 8K 360 camera. After using it for a few weeks, I can now tell you and show you how it holds up.

We’ve previously covered the specs and promised features of the QooCam 8K a while before it started shipping. There can often be a gap between what is promised, and what is delivered. This is especially true for early adopters of almost any complex, high tech device. It can also be very exciting. The first recipients of the QooCam 8K have been able to follow regular updates to add features and capabilities. That doesn’t stop people being very vocal about things that aren’t working yet of course. Kandao are still rolling out the updates for this camera, and it gets better, and more refined with each one.

Canon has just released a firmware update version 1.1.0 for its flagship EOS-1D X Mark III camera that fixes an issue that would cause the camera to freeze. For filmmakers, this firmware update adds 23.98P frame rate in 4K UHD and FullHD recording modes. Let’s take a closer look.

Image credit: Canon

Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Firmware Update Version 1.1.0

Canon just released a firmware update version 1.1.0 for its Canon EOS-1D X Mark III that fixes an issue users started to report in March 2020. Indeed, the camera could freeze when the electronic level was set to “Show” in the viewfinder display, and you pressed the shutter button or the AF-ON button. The 1D X Mark III is a high-end (and expensive) camera, and the last thing you want to see is a bug that locks it up. Below is a video that explains the issue.

GearComments Off on DJI Zenmuse X7: The First Super 35mm Camera for Aerial Cinematography

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DJI just announced the DJI Zenmuse X7, the world’s first Super 35mm camera optimized for aerial cinematography. It’s designed primarily for the DJI Inspire 2 drone and features interchangeable lenses as well as a new DJI Cinema Color system for greater creative freedom in cinematography.

Aesthetic quirks are usually embraced, it’s often why a particular lens is a selection in the first place, but mechanical quirks can be a whole different beast.

Some older lens sets require little modification to get up to spec – conforming all front diameters to the same size for ease, or using a thicker focus gear because one of the lenses telescopes a little.

But there are some popular lenses out there that are particularly tricky. Take the Lomo Round Fronts, for example, they telescope (substantially) as you focus and the front of the lenses rotates.

GearComments Off on Should You Invest in Large Aperture Lenses That Have f/2.8 or Larger?

Mar052020

Buying a beautiful f/2.8 lens zoom is tempting. Large apertures are always better. If you’re using primes, a f/1.8 or f/1.4 is even better. But is that expensive large aperture lens really necessary for your photography?

The first lens I bought next to the one I got with my camera was the beautiful white Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. Its name is a mouth full, basically meaning it has that amazing f/2.8 aperture over the complete focal range. It is white, it is large, it is heavy, it looked good on the camera, and people were impressed by this huge white expensive looking lens.

VAXIS has announced that they are working on a new wireless video transmitter for the upcoming RED Komodo. The VAXIS ATOM 600 KV will connect to the camera via a dual Canon BP battery slot and provide a power pass-through for V-Mount batteries. It will offer up to 600ft transmission distance for up to 1080p video signal with less than 0.1s delay.